Moray Eel
Moray eels are cosmopolitan eels of the family Muraenidae. The approximately 200 species in 15 genera are almost exclusively marine, but several species are regularly seen in brackish water and a few, for example the freshwater moray (Gymnothorax polyuranodon) can sometimes be found in freshwater. With a maximum length of 11.5 centimetres (4.5 in), the smallest moray is likely the Snyder's moray (Anarchias leucurus), while the longest species, the slender giant moray (Strophidon sathete) reaches up to 4 metres (13 ft). The largest in terms of total mass is the giant moray (Gymnothorax javanicus), which reaches almost 3 metres (9.8 ft) and can weigh over 36 kilograms (79 lb). The Morays are frequently thought of as particularly vicious or ill-tempered animals. In truth, morays hide from humans in crevices and would rather flee than fight. Morays are shy and secretive, and attack humans only in self-defence or mistaken identity. Most attacks stem from disruption of a moray's burrow (to which they do react strongly), but an increasing number also occur during hand-feeding of morays by divers, an activity often used by dive companies to attract tourists. Morays have poor vision and rely mostly on their acute sense of smell, making distinguishing between fingers and held food difficult; numerous divers have lost fingers while attempting hand feedings. For this reason the hand feeding of moray eels has been banned in some locations, including the Great Barrier Reef. The moray's rear-hooked teeth and primitive but strong bite mechanism also makes bites on humans more severe, as the eel cannot release its grip even in death and must be manually pried off. While the majority are not believed to be venomous, circumstantial evidence suggests that a few species may be. Eels that have eaten certain types of toxic algae, or more frequently that have eaten fishes that have eaten some of these algae, can cause ciguatera fish poisoning if eaten. Morays rest in crevices during the day and hunt nocturnally, although they may ensnare small fish and crustaceans that pass near them during the day. Moray eels are cosmopolitan, found in both tropical and temperate seas, although the largest species richness is at reefs in warm oceans. Very few species occur outside the tropics or subtropics, and the ones that do only extend marginally beyond these regions. They live at depths of up to several hundred metres, where they spend most of their time concealed inside crevices and alcoves. While several species regularly are found in brackish water, very few species can be found in freshwater, for example the freshwater moray (Gymnothorax polyuranodon) and the pink-lipped moray eel (Echidna rhodochilus). Battle against the Snakehead A Moray Eel is swimming in a tank in an aquarium somewhere in the USA. A man walks into the room, holding a smaller tank with a blanket over it, a lays it down next to the eel's tank. He then exits the room, leaving the eel and the blanketed tank in the room together. Slowly the blanket slides off revealing a large Snakehead thrashing about in the tank. It pushes the lid off of its enclosure and slowly wriggles out, landing with a plop on the tiled floor. It slowly crawls towards the eel enclosure and begins its acesion up the side of the tank, miraculaousy managing to stick to the wall. It reaches the top of the tank and slides into the pool with a splash, alerting the eel to its presence. The eel sizes up the Snakehead before slinking away into the coral behind it. The snakehead make a beeline for the torn remains of the eel's latest lunch, which is floating right next to the hiding eel. It takes a bite out of the fish and the eel lunges out from its hiding place, grabbing the snakehead's tail in its jaws. The Snakehead jerks violently and swings its head around, latching onto the middle of the eel. The moray releashes its grip on the snakehead's tail but the snakehead continues tearing into the morays mid section. The moray swings it head around and digs its teeth into the snakehead's head, shaking it about. The fresh water fish tries to break free but the eel's grasp is too strong and it soon lies dead in the tank. 2 hours later The man returns to the room and finds the snakehead missing and he franticly looks for here it has gotten too. He peers into the tank and sees the shredded remains of the so called Fishzilla amongst the coral reef, the moray eel nibbling on its head. Winner Moray Eel Experts Opinion The eel's larger size was what won it the day which the snakehead's aggressivness coulden't compete with. Category:Animals Category:Eels Category:World Wide Animals Category:Water Animals Category:Ocean Animals Category:Vertebrates Category:Carnivores Category:Salt Water Fish Category:Piscivores